1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rack apparatus and, particularly, to a rack apparatus used for retaining workpieces during anodizing.
2. Description of Related Art
Anodizing technology is widely used in plating of workpieces. During anodizing, metal workpieces need to be held on rack apparatuses. The rack apparatuses are made up of a plurality of retaining members. Referring to FIG. 7, a known retaining member 50 is made of a resilient (i.e., capable of elastic deformation followed by a return to its previous shape) metal and includes a bracket 502 and two extending plates 504, 506. The bracket 502 is approximately U-shaped. The extending plates 504, 506 are respectively connected to the two corresponding ends of the bracket 502 and extend along the same direction as the two ends of the bracket 502. A distal end of each extending plate 504, 506 is warped/bent outwardly.
Referring to FIG. 8, the retaining member 50 is used to retain a workpiece 60 requiring plating. The workpiece 60 is, for example, a metal board. The metal board is substantially a rectangular and has two bent edges 602, 604 that are formed at two shorter sides thereof. The bent edges 602, 604 are L-shaped, with the long edge of the “L” extending essentially perpendicularly from a corresponding shorter side. Two tabs 606, 608 extend from one longer side of the workpiece 60. In use, the extending plates 504, 506 of the retaining member 50 are able to lock into a respective one of the bent edges 602, 604 of the workpiece 60, so as to fix the workpiece 60 to the rack apparatus.
However, although the retaining member 50 with the workpiece 60 may be fixed, the bent angle of the extending plates 504, 506 is difficult to adjust. Accordingly, the extending plates 504, 506 are difficult to engage tightly with the bent edges 602, 604. In addition, the fixturing configuration between the extending plates 504, 506 and the workpiece 60 does not provide a large holding force. When anodizing, if the workpiece 60 is affected by shaking, the workpiece 60 may quite possibly become dislodged from the rack apparatus.
Therefore, an improved rack apparatus with retaining members is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.